PagesPat's Ponderings

Thursday, April 28, 2011

This week's Hambo Stamps digi-image was the perfect focus for a card I had planned to make for a friend going through a rough time. Her whole life is about to change, hopefully for the better, but none of us really like change, do we? We get set in our ways, comfortable with the daily routine, sometimes stuck on a narrow path of creativity...I wanted to let her know how much I respect her decision, regret the circumstances that led to it, and love and support her in all ways.
So Hambo Stamps has this Heart Basket-digi that I had fun placing on a card for my friend. I actually combined paper-piecing with Copic-coloring and the basket is three layers. The papers, flowers, lace and ribbon, and adhesive-backed flourish border are all leftover pieces in my stash, their identifying packaging a thing of the past, unfortunately. I ink-distressed the card's inside and face with Tim Holtz Distressing Vintage Photo Ink by Ranger (I love inking, don't you?), and colored the image using the following Copics: R29, YR02, E08, YG03. I used CTMH Liquid Glass, Red Stickles and Sakura White Gelly Roll pen for the glitz. The HAMBO sentiment and journal box are framed with Paper Trey cardstock, which matches the basket on the front.

Hambo sends everyone who participates in their challenges a free digi to use in their next challenge. What a great chance to add to your image stockpile!! Click HERE to go to their challenge blog.

Friday, April 22, 2011

I was asked to make treats for my granddaughter's dance class next week. I found a bag of these cute round plastic containers that are a perfect size for small treats, and couldn't resist coloring up a few more King-digis from Hambo Stamps. I printed them as small as I could while still giving me room to fill in with color, which I of course did with my Copics (100, E00, E35, Y17, B12) and my new fave, a Zig Brushables in English Lavender, perfect for creating shadow and dimension.
The beautiful flower was created by a crafting friend from Scrapbook PlaCE Yahoo Group. You should check them out, we're a group a friendly creative women who enjoy making new friends, swapping materials and having fun.
The rest of the items used were leftovers from my stash. I am REALLY trying hard to use my things and not buy new, but it is SOOOOOO difficult when companies like Queen kat and Hambo and Crafter's Companion and SOOO many others keep presenting lovely new items to buy, buy, buy!!!! LOL Did I mention I am in love with Mami Doodles and Whiff of Joy and...well, check out the list on the right, there are some great links there!
Back to my project, there are six girls in the dance class, and I have just enough containers for them. I think I should make a larger item for the instructor!

Thursday, April 21, 2011

Today's card features a digital image from Hambo Stamps. He is called King-digi and is available for purchase.
I colored him with my trusty Copics, using the royal colors of purple and gold. The crown was paper pieced, and I glitzed him up with Stickles. I handprinted the sentiment, and added gold sequin flowers and a Martha Stewart flower that I colored again witgh a Copic. All papers, including the embossed and corrugated ones, are leftovers from swaps and such. The golden yellow gross grain ribbon was pulled out of a baggier I bought from a rummage sale!
I can see His Highness announcing all kinds of delightful get-togethers and events, can't you? He's a very versatile chap!

Monday, April 18, 2011

SNOW???? In April??? Come on, I know this is Chicago, but seriously, Snow???
Well, I guess this is one to go into the scrapbook. At least we didn't get caught up in that nasty weather in the southeast. All those tornadoes and hail, we can count our blessings here in Chicago that it's only a little dusting on the cars and the grass.

Sunday, April 17, 2011

...and with him are all the lovely Easter cards I made for friends and family! For my inspiration, I went to the Crafter’s Companion Blog to see their April challenge, and was awed by the Design team’s cards. Their challenge this month is to incorporate flowers into your project, as well as using a Crafter’s Companion product. Since I don’t own any of their gorgeous images (yet), I had to stick with the basics - Copics and Stickles – until I can get my hands on some of their fabulous images to color! The challenge runs until the last day in April, so you can join in the fun and be inspired if you click HERE.
Meanwhile, my card details:
Papers: DCWV patterned paper stack and leftover scraps
Colors: Stickles Cotton Candy; Copic RV09 (I do love to ink my edges. I even distressed the bows with my Copic pen!)
Embellishments: Everything is leftover stash and rummage sale finds, including that cute bunny image, although I did add some glitz to his nose and ears!Challenges:Tuesday Throwdowns is challenging you this week to add
Sparkle and Bling to your artwork. Their sponsor, The Greeting Farm, is giving away your choice of one 4x6 stamp set.The Crafty Pad
The theme for this week is EASTER and their sponsor is JOANNA SHEEN.

Don’t forget to send your friends and family cards to let them know that some bunny loves them!!!

Saturday, April 16, 2011

Hello, my name is Pat, and I am addicted to… Card Challenges!!! Challenges are fairly new to me, just started in earnest this year. One of my fave challenge blogs is Hambo Stamps. Their Hoedown is just too much fun to pass up! And everyone is a winner when you enter the challenges, as they send you a free digi image for the next challenge!
This week’s challenge is to use any Hambo image, with one of their sentiments, AND to distress your project.
Did I mention I am addicted to distressing? I love to ink edges, and one of my fave lines of papers is Core-dinations! Give me a sanding block and an ink pad and I am in Crafting Heaven!
Card Details:
Image & Sentiment: Hambo Stamps
Papers: Core-dinations Teal cardstock, Black cardstock from WalMart and Rummage sale patterned paper find
Copics: G00, BG10, BG72; C1, C3;100; E35, E71; BV00; RV09
DieCuts: Nestabilities Scallop Ovals and QuicKutz Flourish
Distressing: Sanding Block and Black CTMH Ink Pad
Glitz: CTMH Liquid Glass and Black & Fuchsia Stickles
Embellishments: Cloud Nine Design Black Grommet; generic plastic spider; black shoe lace, generic google eyes
The Hambo sentiment is on the scallop tag that pulls out from the card’s pocket. It says: “Get Ogre It!” And I know the perfect OGRE to whom I will send this birthday card!!

Thursday, April 14, 2011

Time to introduce the other artists in my family! First is Bella, whose keen eye to color has helped her create many a card for daddy while he was away at Boot Camp and MP School. Sometimes (not very often) she is allowed to color with my Copics!!

Below, she altered a plastic container to hold all her crayons. This is her take on crafting in general. btw, she is three years old!

Q:Do you like to scrapbook, or make cards?
A:Yes, Grandma is always hiding in her craft room and I come in and we nmake cards together
Q:What do you like about scrapbooking or cardmaking?
A:I like to glue and color pictures with Grandma’s markers. She makes me use my own cause hers are special.
Q:How much does your GRANDMA scrapbook or make cards?
A:She is always in her craft room. She makes nice things.
Q:What is your favorite color?
A:Purple
Q:What is your favorite scrapbooking or cardmaking supply?
A:I like stickers
Q:What is your best tip for other scrapbookers or cardmakers?
A:Tell your grandma to let you use her special markers (COPICS)

Then there is my daughter, whose art takes on giant proportions sometimes, mostly on her walls (and occasionally on her ceiling, to dad's dismay!)

Here is a photo of her closet walls. Mom wasn't too happty when she learned that those closet doors were colored mostly by patting and wiping the ink from Mom's precious ink pads!!!

Her take on crafting:
Q:Do you like to scrapbook, or make cards?
A:I like to draw and decorate my room.
Q:What do you like about crafting?
A:It gets my creativity out.
Q:How much does your Mom scrapbook or make cards?
A:As much as she can.
Q:What is your favorite color?
A:Purple
Q:What is your favorite crafting supply?
A:My mom’s markers and ink
Q:What is your best tip for other crafters?
A:Don’t be afraid to do something different. Create from your heart.
And there you have it. The acorns don't fall far from the tree, if you ask me. But they better stay out of my Copics!!! LOL
Do you have a happy family of crafters in your house? Maybe you'd like to check out Your Scrapbook Place Yahoo Group and Challenge Blog! Just click on the button to the right to go to the blog and get more info, or leave me a comment!

Saturday, April 9, 2011

Another week, abother new technique attempted. Here is my first easel card. If I had known how easy it would be to make one, I would have tried this eons ago!! Of course, it's always easier when you have a great tutorial to learn from. Here's the link if you've never tried this great looking card:Easel card video
On to my card! I used the fabulous new digi from Hambo Stamps, Penguin Bunny-digi. They're having another chlalenge this week, and all you need to do is use one of their images and make it an Easel Card. Go check it all out! The very least that can happenm is that you learn a new technique and get a fabulous new digi for entering!
My card details:
Image: Hambo stamps
Cardstock: Paper Trey Aqua Mist & Hawaiiian Shores
Patterend Paper: We R Memory Keepers Tiffany's line
Sentiment: MS Word cut out with Nestabilities Label Four die
Copics: 100 (black), BG10, Y17, YR02,YG03, BG72, RV34
The Rest: Stickles, Adhesive-backed jewels, Martha Stewart Grossgrain bows, faux stitches
At Crafts & Me Challenge Blog, this week's challenge asks for GLITTER. Mwahaha, I love to Stickle!!!
At Mami Doodles Blog, their challenge is to use punches and/or dies. I used Nestabilities and my Epic Six to cut out the sentiment. Their challenges run two weeks, so you'll have plenty of time to enter to win some of their cute images!
At Craft your Passion blog. they run weekly challenges--I just discovered this site and it is popular andinspirational!! Their first Monday of the month challenges are always Anything Goes!
I can foresee a lot of easel cards in my future, they really are very easy to make, and beautiful to display!!

Saturday, April 2, 2011

I guess I am addicted to Blogger. When I create, I want to show off my work to the world, at least the part that comes visit me here. But hubby upgraded ALL our computers to IE9, and Blogger HATES IE9!! There are so many things wrong with it, and most of the errors have to do with Google and all it owns. Which meant no posting, no commenting on others' blogs, no challenges. At one point it kicked me off my own Yahoo email and groups, and I had to establish new ones---ugh!!
I want to downgrade to IE8, but hubby says he "fixed" it. He fixed it alright, but I have to go through some major hoops to get onto my fave sites!!
Okay, enough venting, on to the card. LOL
I decided to try a new technique called Spotlighting. i saw a card at the Hambo Hoedown that was similar to the technique, so I brought out my stamped images and, as Pooh would say, "Think, think, think..."
So I thought and this is what i came up with.
I used two of the same stamped images from House Mouse. I love these little mice, dancing on the piano keys, such a joyful feeling it gives me!
So, I colored one image with the following Copics: G00, BG15, E00 & Zig Brushables Apricot.
I used Tattered Angels Glimmer Mist Turquoise on teh second image, after stamping the sentiment "Here's a Note for You" in the top left corner.
I then cut the misted image out and framed it with black cardstock (from WalMart) and placed it on cardstock from Paper Trey.
Next, I had to choose which part of my Copic-colored image I was going to use to spotlight the scene on the finished card. I decided to circle punch the "conductor" of the quartet. I used BG15 and 00 (black) Copics to rim the circle's edge to define it more, and placed it exactly where he was on the original image with dimensional pop dots.
A very simple card, with quite a pop!
Over at Stamping Vacation blog they have several challenges this month. My card is entered into the Animal with Arms challenge, due to end on my birthday! Check them out, they have a lovely gift certificate they're offering to the winner of the challenge!